1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bake ware accessories. More specifically, it relates to a transparent cover for a cake, cupcakes, or other bake goods. The shield has a number of apertures in its upper wall that enable placement of cake candles through the shield and into the underlying baked goods. When the candles are blown out, as occurs during birthday parties, the shield protects the underlying baked goods from bacteria and germs, while still enabling access to the lighted candles.
It is a long-standing tradition that the person for whom a birthday party is thrown, will blow out a set of lit candles placed on a birthday cake. Often the cake has frosting applied in ornately decorative patterns, with candles and adornments to match. When the appropriate time arrives, partygoers will turn out the lights, and the cake, with candles lit, is presented to the birthday boy or girl. It is customary to close your eyes, make a wish, and exhale strongly in an attempt to blow out all the candles with a single breath. The belief is that if the person is able to blow out all the candles with a single exhalation, then their wish will come true.
While the blowing out of birthday candles is a fun and whimsical act for birthday celebrants, it carries the risk of potential harm to the other partygoers. Each exhalation by the candle blower sprays small droplets of saliva across the birthday cake surface. If the birthday celebrant is sick, he or she may inadvertently spread germs across the cake surface, where other partygoers can ingest the germs. In this way, the good intentioned practice of an age-old tradition provides a conduit for transmission of saliva borne disease.
A solution is needed that enables the blowing out of birthday candles while still protecting an underlying cake from the spray of germs. The present invention solves this problem with a cake shield that has apertures of different sizes in its upper wall. Candles and decorations are inserted through the apertures into the cake. This provides access to the lit portion of the candles, while still covering substantial portions of the cake.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to baked goods covers. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to cake shields. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
A cake shield with an aperture is disclosed in Langsam, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0224271. The Langsam device is a disposable cake shield made form plastic or cardboard. It has a plurality of small legs that rest upon the upper surface of a cake when in use. A central opening or window extends across a central portion of the shield, enabling insertion and removal of candles. One side of the shield has a raised, sloped portion that shields part of the candles. Users slow towards this raised portion, thereby reducing the likelihood that germs will fall onto the cake through the window. Unlike the present invention, the Langsam device does not have four sidewalls to protect other parts of the cake.
Okros, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0136277, teaches a cake shield with no apertures. The Okros shield has a plurality of recesses in the shield to permit the placement of candles within the shield. A placard tray, or letter holding slot is provided along the exterior of a shield bottom for holding letters and message placards. Unlike the present invention, the Okros device does not have apertures of varied sizes to accommodate different types of candles and decorations.
Another variation on the cake shield is disclosed by Donnelly, U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,456. The Donnelly device has several parts that assemble to form a cake shield. The top is a planar surface filled with apertures for candles. This top attaches to a ring disposed on or attaching to a sidewall(s). The sidewalls in turn are removably secured to a cake shield bottom once a cake is in position. The top is inserted along with candles, to help protect the cake from germs during the blowing out of candles. The top can be removed after candles are blown out to provide access to the underlying cake or cupcakes. The present invention does not have removable parts, which could disengage and fall into the cake at inopportune times.
Tropeano, U.S. patent Application Publication No. 2009/0181335 discloses a cake shield having an upper portion and a lid. The upper portion has a top wall and at least one sidewall. The top wall has a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough. A planar bottom supports a cake and attaches to the upper portion. This device does not have a removable lid that covers the apertures when in place. The present invention has such a lid to present dust and debris from falling through the apertures.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. They do not teach a removable lid that sits onto the upper portion of the cake shield. The present invention teaches a cake shield with a lid that removably secures through apertures in the upper portion of the cake shield. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing cake shield devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.